Thermal valve



Nov. 9 l 926.

PgG; M GREeoR' THERMAL VALVE Filed Feb. 15, 1922 IN l/E/VTOR Plszerail/ac Gregor ,4 TTOBIVE Y Patented Nov. 9, 192%.

PETER G. ivrwenseon.or'rEatIAimooK, nEwJE s Y, Assrenoa TQPYRENEJIVIANU- reoronrne. COMPANY, or NEWARK, NEW'fJERSEY, A COREORATIONor DELA- WARE.

THERMAL VALV Application filed February 13, 1932. Serial No. 536,357.

to flow therethrough. The invention is'particularly adapted for use withautomatic sprinkler systems to secure distribution of thefire-extinguishing fluid over any desired area, but it will beunderstood that the device is not limited to such use.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. v y

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front View, vertically sectioned, of the device forming thesubject of my invention. V

Fig. 2 is a plan view. p 7

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an externally-threaded collar9 fixed to a base-plateor wall 10. Upon'the collar 9 is screwed a shell11, and a chamber 12 is fixed upon the opposite side of the base-plate.In the upper end of shell 11 operates a valve comprising a-substantiallycylindrical valve member 15 extending upwardly and slidable throughopenings in the shell 11', base-plate 10 and chamber 12 into saidchamber. The latter is provided with openings :in its side walls intowhich fit a corresponding number of conduits such'as 17, 18L'fThechamber 12 is also provided with an opening in its top wall into whichfits a plug20 having an opening therethroughto permit passage ofa'supply conduit 19. It will be'obvious that if conduit 19 is connectedto a source of liquid, and said conduit 'is'open, liquid "will flow intochamber 12 and thence to distributing conduits 17, "18 to be distributedas desired. Means are therefore provided whereby the conduit 19is"normally"cl'osed but which 'isjopened upon a predeterminedrise intemperature of the surrounding medium.

For this purpose the end of conduit] 19 "is normally closed by thecone=shapedtop22of iii) ftlre fva'lve-member" 15, said valve-member-resangat=i t *1dwrejndfupon a; plate 2'3 and being held against the endof said conduit by "a;eoil-spi ii 1g 24 pressing against said plate.T'he is supported in'p'o'sition by a he ma rele ev c mp n i w me: hereor severe-e5 end 26, ea1i trsaid being supported at their upper ends 39and 40 upon a flange 27 on the lower end of shell- 11 and'having theirlower ends extending outwardly and downwardly and normally held againstmovement relative to each other byv strips of metal 28 and 29 solderedto gether by low-fusing metal, 30 and connecting the lower ends :of saidmembers. This construction permits a quick release, as the fusible metalis fully exposed. One of the levers 25, 26 (here shown as lever'25) ispro vided witha ridge 3 1 normally seated in a corresponding groove inthe other lever (here shown as lever '26) sothat a toggle joint isformed.

In operation, when the temperature of the surrounding medium risessufiiciently to fuse the solder 30, the latter will yield, and springwill swing levers 25 and '26 about ridge 3'1 asa: pivot'so. thatends39and swing towards each other and allow the levers 25 and 26, thespring 24. and plate 23 to drop out of shell 11. The tension of thespring being released, valve-member 15 will "move away from the end ofconduit 19 per"- initting the liquid to discharge into chamber '12 andthence into the distributing conduits. The movement of valve-member 15away from the end ofconduit 19 is limited by a flange 32'carried bymember 15. and engaging the bottom wall 33 of the chamber 12. Thevalve-member may be provided above may discharge into the valve-member,which being hollow, acts as a qonduit similar to confrom coll'ar '9andrs'ubs'ti'tute a new shell therefor having alplate' 23,;spring 24:,and

-members- 2512x216. .26 held solderedg strips '28 if-a nd 29; The deviceother operation. f

is then ready 'forfa'n revaueve aeseasaea 1, s;-

flange 32 with openings 34 so that liquid fer-red form of my invention,but it will be understood that variations may be resorted to within thescope of the annexed claims Claims 1; A thermally-controlled liquid.supply device comprising a liquid chamber, a distributing conduit and asupply conduit connected to said chamber, a valve comprising a hollowmember extending into said chamher and having openings in its side andlower end walls and its upper end adapted to close said supply conduit,means norvalve in effective position to close said supply conduit andprevent distribution of liquid in said distributing conduit, said meansbeing held effective by a readily fusible body.

3. A thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising a liquidchamber, a distributing conduit and a supply conduit connected to saidchamber, a valve cooperating with said supply conduit, said chamberhaving an opening throu h which said valve passes, a shell removalalyfixed relative to said chamber and into which said lvalvevextends, andmeans in said shell for normally pressing said valve into said chamberand holding the same in eii'ective position to close said supply conduitand prevent distribution of liquid in said distributing conduit, saidmeans being held effective by a readily fusible body attached thereto. 7

4. A. thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising a liquidchamber, a distributing conduit and a supply conduit connected to saidchamber, a valve co-operating with said supply conduit, said chamberhaving an opening through which said valve passes, a shell removablyfixed relative to said chamber and into which said valve extends, andmeans in said shell for normally pressing said valve into said chamberand holding the same in efiiective position to close said supply conduitand prevent distribution of liquid in saiddistributing conduit, saidmeans being held effective by a readily fusible body attached thereto,said valve comprising a hollow member having openings which permit theliquid to pass therethrough and discharge into said shell when s id bodyis tusedand said valve moves to ineffective position to open said supplyconholding the same in effective position to close said supply conduitand prevent distribution of liquid in said distributing conduit, saidmeans being held effective by a readily fusible body attached thereto,sai'd'valve moving to inefiective position to open said supply conduitwhen said body is fused, and means carried by said valve for limitingits move-' ment to ineffective position."

6. A thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising a liquidchamber, a distributing conduit and a supply conduit connected to saidchamber, a valve cooperating with said supply conduit, said chamberhaving an opening through which said valve passes, a shell removablyfixed relative to said chamber and into which said valve extends, meansin said shell for normally pressing said valve into said chamberandholding the same in effective position to closesaid supply conduit andprevent distribution of liquid in said distributing conduit, said meansbeing held effective by a readily fusible body attached thereto,'saidvalve moving to ineffective position to open said supply conduitwhen'said body is fused, and means carried by said valve for limitingits movement to ineffective position, said means comprising a flangeengageable with said chamber. J

7. A thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising aliquidchamber, a distributing conduit and a supply conduit con nected to saidchamber, a valve cooperating with said supply conduit, said chamberhaving an opening through which said valve passes, a shell removablyfixed relative to said chamber and into which said valve extends, meansin said shell for normally press.- ing said'valve into said chamber andholding the same in effective position to close said supply conduit andprevent distribution of liquid in said distributing conduit, said meansbeing held eiiective by a readily fusible body attached thereto, saidvalve comprising a hollow member having'openings which permit the liquidto pass therethrough and discharge into said shell when said body isfused and said valve moves to inefiective position to open said supplyconduit, and a spirally-grooved member in said hollow valve. memberadjacent the discharge opening thereof, said shell having openings whichpermit the liquid to be discharged therefrom.

, 8. A thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising a liquidchamber, a supply conduit and a plurality of distributing conduitsconnected to said chamber, a valve cooperating with said supply conduit,and means normally holding said valve in effective position to closesaid supply conduit and prevent distribution of liquid in saiddistributing conduits, said means being held effective by a readilyfusible body, said valvemovincr to ineffective position to open saidsupply conduit and permit distribution of liquid to said distributingconduits when said body is fused. V

9. A thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising a liquidchamber, a supply conduit and a distributing conduit connected to saidchamber, a valve provided with chamber outlet means and normallypreventing communication of said supply conduit with said distributingconduit and outlet means, means for normally maintaining said valveclosed, and a thermal release device adapted upon being subjected toheat to release said valve whereby communication of said supply conduitwith said distributor conduit and said tablished.

10. A thermally-controlled liquid supply device comprising a liquidchamber, a distributing conduit and a supply conduit connected to saidchamber, a valve normally I preventing communication between said sup-)l conduit and said distributin conduit said valve comprising a hollowmember c0mlmunicatmg wltlr said chamber and provided with an outletopening, means for normally maintaining said valve closed, and a thermalrelease device adapted when subjected to heat to release said valvewhereby communication of said supply conduit with said distributingconduit and said hollow memher is established through said chamber.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this28th day of J an., A. D. 1922.

PETER G. MAGGREGOR.

outlet means is es-

